‎Introduction

‎As the year draws to a close, we are gradually coming close to the 2027 general election. A year that would be a defining year in the governance of Nigeria and Christians are not expected to fold their hands and watch the unfolding political events in the country.

‎Interestingly, as 2027 general elections approach, there is one fundamental question which has resurfaced in our national discourse, and that question is: what should be the place of the Church in Nigeria’s democracy? The question is not merely cosmetic because in a country of over 200 million people where faith is not just a private belief but a public identity, any serious conversation about democracy that ignores the Church is an abstract concept.

‎It is to be stated that the Church as an institution is one of the guardrails to Nigeria democracy.

‎Therefore, the question is no longer  whether the Church has a place in Nigeria’s democracy but rather what that place should be to strengthen our democracy without compromising the spiritual mandate of the Church.

‎The Constitutional and Theological basis of the place of the Church

‎Section 10 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) makes Nigeria a secular state – meaning that Nigeria is not a country of a particular dominant religion. While Section 38 guarantees every Nigerian freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The Constitution did not intend to expel religion from the public square; it only intended to prevent the State from adopting a particular religion.

‎Theoretically, the Church, according to Mathew 5: 13-14, is the salt and light, meaning that the Church ought to preserve the society from decay and spiritually guide the moral value and compass of the society.

‎Pointedly, the Church has a constitutional right to speak, and it has done so from the anti-colonial movement to the resistance against military dictatorship. The Church has provided moral language when politics failed.

‎The place of the Church in Nigeria”s democracy

‎The church’s place in Nigeria’s democracy cannot be completely exhaustive. However, it is important to stress that the Church is supposed to be the conscience of the nation, not the cheerleader of any party. The 2023 election changed Christian political engagement in Nigeria.

‎For the first time, we saw a deliberate, organized, peaceful mobilization of Christian voters, especially the youth and urban middle class. Pulpits became voter education centres. The message “Go and get your PVC” was arguably the most effective civic campaign of that election cycle, and it came from the Church.

‎But 2023 also taught us bitter lessons. In some places, the pulpit was abused and turned into a campaign podium with many Prophecies issued.

‎Many of those prophecies did not come through, and so the credibility of the Church suffered as many unbelievers said so unprintable things about the Church and some men of God.

‎It is to be mentioned that the Muslim-Muslim ticket controversy further showed how easily religion can be weaponized to divide rather than unite. It left scars that are yet to heal.

‎What Should the Church Do in 2027?

‎The Church’s place in 2027 should not be to produce a president but to produce better citizens who will elect a better president. That place rests on five pillars, namely:

‎*a. As Custodian of Values, Not a Political Party:* The Church must set the standard – integrity, competence, character, compassion, and capacity – and allow its members to measure candidates against that standard. The moment a church endorses a party, it loses the moral authority to correct that party.

‎*b. As Voter Educator:* The real work is not shouting on election day, but teaching months before the election day on why members should not sell their votes for N5,000. The Church has the most organized grassroots structure in Nigeria. If it educates, Nigeria will vote better.

‎*c. As Advocate for Credible Elections:* The Church must engage INEC, security agencies, and the judiciary early and constructively. It must demand transparent elections, early logistics, security for voters, and neutrality of institutions. Credible elections benefit everyone – Christian and Muslim.

‎*d. As Peace Builder:* Nigeria cannot afford another election marred by ethno-religious killings. In volatile zones like Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna and the FCT suburbs, the Church must lead inter-faith peace dialogues before, during and after the polls.

‎*e. As Watchdog After Victory:* The greatest failure of faith-based political engagement in Nigeria is that we shout before elections and go silent after. Democracy is not an event; it is a process. Whether the winner is a Christian or Muslim, the Church must hold him accountable on security, jobs, and justice.

‎The Boundaries the Church Should Not Cross in 2027

‎For its own preservation, the Church in 2027 must avoid three temptations: turning the altar into a campaign stage, commercializing prophecy for political patronage, and pursuing a theocratic agenda. Nigeria needs a just Nigeria, not a Christian Nigeria or a Muslim Nigeria. A just Nigeria will protect both the mosque and the church.

‎Conclusion

‎The Bible in Proverbs 14:34 teaches that “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” That is the mandate.

‎The Church can not afford to be partisan, but it also can not afford to be indifferent. Silence in the face of bad governance is not holiness; it is complicity.

‎As we approach 2027, let the Church speak – not for a party, but for truth. Not for power, but for the people. That is its rightful place in our democracy.

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